Kanika Kapoor's version on COVID charges: All those I contacted safe

More than a month after testing positive for COVID-19, singer Kanika Kapoor on Sunday (April 26) put out a statement on Instagram regarding her travel timeline and battle with the disease amid numerous allegations surrounding her activities over the last few weeks.

Kanika, who was the first celebrity in Bollywood to test positive for the virus on March 20, came under attack over the past few weeks for negligence and not practising self-quarantine despite returning to the country from the UK amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She was also booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police for negligence and “committing acts that were likely to spread the infection” after she attended at least three gatherings in Lucknow, including a party where political personalities, including senior BJP leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and her son, Dushyant Singh, were present.

Even before a case was registered against her, the report of her testing positive had already triggered a panic among those she had come in contact with, and their contacts. MP Dushyant Singh had reportedly met several other lawmakers, including Derek O’Brien and Varun Gandhi, and even the President, days after coming in contact with her.

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Reports suggest doctors at the hospital, where the singer was admitted, had alleged she was not cooperating with them and was demanding five-star treatment. The singer too had accused the doctors and the hospital staff of ill-treating her.

The singer provided her side of the story on Sunday in an Instagram post, alleging that she had been screened at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on March 10 when she travelled to Mumbai from the UK, but had not received any instructions to be in quarantine since the UK travel advisory had been issued on March 18 only.

“I travelled from the UK to Mumbai on March 10 and was duly screened at the international airport. There was no advisory on that day (UK travel advisory was released on 18 March) that stated that I needed to quarantine myself. I showed no ill health so did not quarantine myself,” she said in her statement.

She added that no screening had been set up for domestic flights at that time.

She further said there were certain facts about her case which she wanted to clarify, starting with how every person that she came in contact with, be it in the UK, Mumbai or Lucknow has “shown no symptoms of COVID-19”. She added that all of them have tested negative.

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Kanika went on to explain that she attended a friend’s lunch and dinner on March 14 and 15 and that no party had been hosted by her. She added that she had been in “absolute normal health” at that time.

However, on March 17 and 18, she developed symptoms and she got herself tested on March 19.

“On March 20, when informed that my test was positive, I chose to go to the hospital. I was discharged after there negative tests and have since been at home for 21 days,” she said.

She also said in her statement that she was aware of “several versions of stories” about her diagnosis.

“Some of these seem to be fuelled even more because I have chosen to be silent till now. I stayed quiet not because I am wrong but in-fact being fully aware that there have been misunderstandings and wrong exchanges of information. I was giving time for the truth to prevail and for people to reach their own realisation,” she said.

“I want to especially thank the doctors and nurses who have so graciously taken care of me during a very emotionally testing time. I hope that all can deal with this matter with honesty and sensitivity,” she added.

The singer’s statement mentioning that she was “spending quality time with her parents in Lucknow” comes after speculations that she gone had missing once she was discharged from the hospital.

(With inputs from agencies)